I've managed to keep my amaryllis bulb (it's a 'Tinkerbell') alive and growing both leaves and flowers for four years. But the bulb has never really grown, and when I replaced the soil yesterday I found the bulb severely shriveled and depleted. Most roots on it were dead and dessicated (not rotted).

I did not replaced the soil last year, which I have done in previous years. It also had its leaves devoured by grasshoppers last summer. Those are the only possible negatives that have happened in its care. Except for the couple months it was dormant in my cold spare room, it's watered at least weekly (more in summer when outside), and given Osmocote fertilizer 1-2 times a year. What am I doing wrong?

Rose, if the leaves were completely eaten by the grasshoppers last summer, it wouldn't have been able photosynthesize. Next season's leaves and flowers are dependant on this years's photosynthesis. At this point, if you want to try to save it, put it outside and see if puts up any leaves at all. If it doesn't, it could be a lost cause.

bsharf said: Rose, if the leaves were completely eaten by the grasshoppers last summer, it wouldn't have been able photosynthesize. Next season's leaves and flowers are dependant on this years's photosynthesis. At this point, if you want to try to save it, put it outside and see if puts up any leaves at all. If it doesn't, it could be a lost cause.

It has leaves currently. It grew new ones after I brought it inside to save it from the hoppers, and then a few more later this spring.

If it has leaves now, it should recover, though it might take a couple of years before it blooms again.

@bsharf — it's already showing some improvement, so I am relieved. After I repotted it, all of the leaves flopped. They are now firm and upright again, so I know that the plant at least has some good new roots and is taking in water again.

I have transitioned my other plants outside for the summer, but I left the Amaryllis in the kitchen window so that I could baby it a bit. Would it be better to put it outside now, and just bring it in as soon as the grasshoppers reappear in a few months?

If nights are staying above 40 F? It should be OK outside. I have a crazy idea. How about putting a piece of row crop netting, or fashioning a cage out of screening wire, to stop munching insects from attacking. Farmers use the row netting to protect cabbage from being eaten. You usually can buy screening by the yard at a good hardware store or from anyone who advertises screen repairs. Maybe Amazon has smaller pieces of the row crop netting. I've seen people put cheap wire trash cans over individual plants but you might need something with a finer mesh. Good luck